Did the Department of Environment know about the contracts awarded by Irish Water? - Brian Stanley TD

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Environment, Community and Local Government, Brian Stanley TD, has today demanded to know, “if the Department of Environment knew or sanctioned any of the controversial €50m contracts awarded by Irish Water.”

Stanley said:

“It is essential that we get straight answers from John Tierney at today’s Oireachtas Committee on the Environment. I will be asking Mr Tierney to outline in detail what, if any, contact Irish Water had with Department of Environment during the awarding of contacts and more importantly what was the response from the department.

“The issue of accountability is not simply an administrative one, this is about political accountability. If it transpires that the department knew of these contracts then both Minster Hogan and O’Dowd have serious questions to answer. They can no longer hide behind John Tierney’s apron strings.

“We tabled the amendment to have Irish Water compliant with Freedom of Information. The government opposed our amendment in December. The government must immediately extend the Freedom of Information legislation to cover Irish Water including during its establishment period.”